We were excited to learn last year that the new Transbay Transit Center in downtown San Francisco would be built with green features in mind. We’re even more excited now that the $4 billion terminal has just received a $171 million loan from the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) to go ahead with phase 1 of the project, which will replace the current Transbay Terminal.

The terminal, designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, will extend the Caltrain line by 1.3 miles into the center of the financial district. it will also feature a new 5.4 acre green roof that will act as a city park and will host variety of cultural activities. A redevelopment of the area surrounding the terminal will add 2,600 new homes.

In the sustainability arena, the terminal will feature wind turbines, floors that draw fresh air from the outside, Geothermal heating and cooling to regulate temperature, and a graywater recycling system. Construction on the terminal began in 2008, and should be completed by 2014.